ETAN Action ALERT

East Timor and Indonesia Action Network

Please do this simple task to support human rights and justice.

Call your representative in Congress. Urge him or her to co-sponsor H. Res. 1355, The resolution, submitted by Rep. Patrick Kennedy urges the government of Indonesia to improve human rights in West Papua.

Prisoners of Conscience Filep Karma,Yusak Pakage and others may spend the next decade or more in prison in Indonesia for peacefully raising a flag. Indonesian assaults on freedom of expression and abuse in its prisons are well-documented. A year ago, the Indonesian government expelled the International Committee of the Red Cross in West Papua.

When you call, ask to speak to the foreign affairs legislative assistant. The Congressional switchboard number is 202-224-3121 (ask for the office of your Representative), or check www.congress.org for contact information. To sign on to the resolution, the office should contact Daniel Murphy in Rep. Patrick Kennedy’s office (5-4911).

Your call can make the difference. Please keep us posted of the results of your calls by writing to etan@etan.org. Go here to check on current go sponsors. Be sure to thank your representative if she or he is on the list. Support ETAN’s work by donating today. Thank you!!

Talking points:

1. The U.S. Department of State, UN investigators and human rights organizations have documented threats to freedom of expression and dire prison conditions in the Indonesian provinces of West Papua and Papua.

2. The government of Indonesia must demonstrate its commitment to freedom of expression by releasing people convicted for peacefully expressing their political views, improving prison conditions, and allowing access to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

3. The U.S. Congress needs to be a strong advocate for human rights in Indonesia and elsewhere. Representative Kennedy’s resolution is an opportunity for members to express their commitment to the rule of law and freedom of expression in Indonesia. This can only strengthen democracy.

4. The Congressmember should support human rights by co-sponsoring House Resolution 1355 by contacting Dan Murphy in Rep. Patrick Kennedy’s office.

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the human rights crisis in Papua and West Papua.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Mr. KENNEDY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on _____________

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the human rights crisis in Papua and West Papua.

Whereas the Department of State’s 2008 Human Rights Report on Indonesia documents the detention of at least 30 peaceful Papuan activists, the killing of a Papuan man at a peaceful rally, and additional evidence of suppressed speech, societal abuse, and discrimination against religious groups, violence and sexual abuse against women, child labor, and human trafficking;

Whereas a 2007 United Nations report by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak, found “widespread torture in Indonesian prisons” and “the use of excessive force by Indonesian security forces in particular in Papua” and that “beatings and other forms of torture are entrenched in much of Indonesia’s prison system where a culture of impunity reigns”;

Whereas Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid permitted Papuans to fly the “morning star” flag as a cultural and historic symbol;

Whereas Amnesty International has identified numerous prisoners of conscience in Indonesian prisons, among them Papuans such as Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage, imprisoned for peaceful political protests including the display of the “morning star” flag which has historic, cultural, and political meaning for Papuans;

Whereas prominent Indonesian leaders have called for a national dialogue and Papuan leaders have called for an internationally-mediated dialogue to address long-standing grievances in Papua and West Papua:

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that

(1) the Government of Indonesia should report to the international community specific progress made regarding

(A) the end of abuse of those detained by authorities in Papua and West Papua and prosecution of those guilty of that abuse;

(B) actions taken by the Government of Indonesia to improve conditions of incarceration, especially in Papua and West Papua;

(C) measures taken to protect the right of its citizens to peaceful assembly and association as well as the freedom of speech and specifically symbolic speech, such as raising banners or flags;

(D) compatibility of Indonesian law that criminalizes peaceful political dissent and conflicting Indonesian commitments concerning the rights to freedom of speech and assembly guaranteed by international covenants to which Indonesia is a party, to include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and

(E) provision to or access to detention facilities in West Papua by recognized human rights monitoring institutions, including the International Committee of The Red Cross; and

(2) the Government of Indonesia should allow an independent, third party human rights organization to review prison conditions with special attention to Papuan inmates and on the basis of that review, formulate a series of recommendations to the Government of Indonesia that would facilitate prison and legal reforms especially to

(A) address deficits in facilities, personnel training, and procedures for the purpose of improving the humanitarian treatment of those detained;

(B) formulating procedures, including judicial reform and legal remedies to ensure that prison authorities face appropriate punishment for mistreatment of those detained; and

(C) encourage reform of the Indonesian criminal code and sentencing procedures to ensure that they reflect Indonesia’s commitments under international undertakings and Indonesia’s own legal obligations to protect fundamental human rights, including the rights to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly and association.

Not Another Birthday in Prison!Rally for the immediate and unconditional release of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage!

Police arrested Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage in connection with a December 2004 public raising of the Morning Star flag, a symbol of independence for Indonesia’s Papua province.

They were convicted of treason and sentenced to 15 and 10 years in prison. Amnesty International believes they have been imprisoned solely for the peaceful expression of their beliefs, a right all governments are obligated to protect and uphold.

President Barack Obama will be visiting Indonesia next month to showcase the importance of growing US-Indonesia bilateral relations. Encourage him to pressure the Indonesian government to release these two prisoners of conscience. Help us ensure that Obama does not forget Filep and Yusak!

You can also make a direct call to the White House: 1-202-456-1111 (TTY/TDD 202-456-6213). Or if you have trouble getting through, call the White House switchboard: 1-202-456-1414 and ask to be connected to the comment line.

Below are some talking points you can use for the call:

I. Amnesty International Prisoners of Conscience (POCs), Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage have spent more than 5 years in prison for waving the West Papuan flag at a peaceful and non-violent action and may collectively spend 25 years in prison.

II. Amnesty International is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of these two POCs.

III. There is a great opportunity to get these men released with the upcoming visit of President Obama to Indonesia (a country where he grew up).

IV. We are calling on President Obama not to forget human rights and these two Prisoners of Conscience when he meets with Indonesian President Yudhoyono. We ask him to carry a message of hope and freedom to both Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage when he goes to Indonesia

Please join Amnesty Internationals’ April (monthly) Freedom Rally in front of the Indonesian Embassy to to secure the immediate and unconditional release of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage, Amnesty International Prisoners of Conscience (POC) and the Mid-Atlantic Special Focus Case (SFC). .

Please come on Thursday, April 15 from 12:30-!:30pm, and show your solidarity with Filep and Yusak who could spend the next decade or more in prison for the peaceful raising of a flag. Join us in demanding the release of these two courageous human rights defenders!

We will provide colorful flags, noisy chin-chins, and great chants and visuals.

Arrested on December 1, 2004, Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage are serving a collective prison sentence of 25 years for their participation in a peaceful flag-raising ceremony to commemorate Papuan independence in 1962. While Amnesty International takes no position on the political status of any province of Indonesia, Amnesty International believes that the right to freedom of expression includes the right to peacefully advocate independence or other political solutions and that these rights must be upheld.